Between the Warring States 战国之边
by ChillyNightSpirit
Summary: Emperor Qikun is assassinated, leaving the four vassal states under his empire to divide the central territory and declare themselves as rulers. The struggle for power rages war among the four states. Murong Li, a victim amid the chaos, poses as a vagrant flute-player after his kingdom was destroyed and infiltrates the states to exact his plan for revenge. [Boyslove, BL, malexmale]
1. Prologue : Arrest

****Author's Notes (some notes before you jump in)****

_This is a fanfiction of the Chinese 2016-17 webdrama Men With Swords (刺客列传), also known as Assassins' Stories. Setting = ancient China._

_**You do not need to have watched the show to understand this story.** You can completely treat it as a **standalone novel**. If you have already seen the show, then some parts might sound familiar._

_This fanfiction will somewhat follow the **main plot** of the show with **added scenes** and **more characterization and development**._

_This is** actual BL**. __The show has many hints but never explicitly portrays BL, so I have taken on the liberty to compose__ actual romantic relationships between the characters and will feature any CP/ship that is canon or hinted at from the webdrama._

_The characters' unjustified deaths in the show might not apply here so don't be too concerned about tragic endings :) __The second season was rage-inducing so I have decided to skip it. But I might pick it up and incorporate it here. For now, I'm not sure yet. Sorry!_

_This is a political drama that is inclusive of wars, battles, power struggles, betrayals, deceptions, devotions, sacrifices, etc._

_Have a great read :) __and **get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions**!_

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**Prologue : Arrest**

"According to his Royal Decree, Qiu Tianhao, High General of Tianxuan, chose to remain impartial and not advance his army of soldiers into Yaoguang, causing our country to lose control of the city-state. His Majesty orders Qiu Tianhao and his entire household to be subjected to poison wine until death as punishment. End of Royal Decree."

"His Majesty, although bright and valiant, is too young and hasty. Seizing Yaoguang will only cause the deaths of innocent civilians!" cried Qiu Tianhao.

The old general knelt in his large courtyard with his head down before the 30 fierce guards standing in front of him. His entire household knelt behind him, not daring to move a muscle. Family members, from the elderly to the young, servants, and anybody with the slightest bit of relations to Qiu Tianhao were present.

"How dare you insult His Majesty! Guards, arrest Qiu Tianhao and everyone in his family and seize all his property immediately!"

Within minutes, the entire estate of the Qiu household was completely ravaged. Half of the guards took turns carrying out crates of valuables, gold taels, and silk clothing to carry back into the palace.

Anything invaluable was destroyed on the spot.

Qiu Tianhao continued to kneel on the ground, unmoved.

Two guards came over and forcefully tried to tie his hands together. He continued to remain as still as a statue, not even giving an eye to the chaos happening behind him.

The once well-respected and highly regarded High General of Tianxuan has become someone who has committed a crime.

An unforgivable crime that even he cannot accept.

Moments later, a sudden, familiar voice finally made his head turn.

A young man, with sharp eyes that appear cold and distant, came running urgently in his direction.

"Father! Father!"

Qiu Tianhao turned around to see his son, **Qiu Zhen (裘振, 25)**, Lieutenant General of Tianxuan, grab his shoulders and kneel down beside him.

"Father, I am sorry. I returned immediately after I received the news of His Majesty's Royal Decree."

"Son...," said Qiu Tianhao. Even at a moment like this, he couldn't help but let out a smile. Seeing his son always brought warmth to his heart, especially when this is the first time he has seen him in months.

There were many words that he wanted to say, but he only managed to mutter out, "...it is my fault. I have brought this upon everyone."

"N...no, Father," cried Qiu Zhen, as he shook his head with tears glimmering in his eyes. "I don't blame you. You will always be a hero in my eyes and I respect your decision. I know you have your reasons for doing so."

"...it is my honor to have a son like you."

One of the guards suddenly walked up and interrupted their conversation, "Hey! No more talking! You arrived just in time. You are under arrest as well!" He gave Qiu Zhen a shove and proceeded to tie his hands together.

"How dare you talk to my son like that! He is a general after all! Do you know who he is to His Majesty? If you dare lay a hand on him again, I will see how His Majesty will punish you!" Qiu Tianhao retorted.

The guard laughed and spoke tauntingly. "We'll see about that. Right now, both you and he are criminals. That's all I care about." He looked up at the other guards. "Take them back along with everyone else!"

Sobs and cries echoed throughout the entire estate as the 70-something innocent members of the Qiu household were being dragged out the front door. Some tripped over each other, others bumped into the many stone decorations laid out in the courtyard, causing them to fall flat on their faces.

It was a scene of disaster.

As Qiu Tianhao was being hauled out, he glanced over his shoulder to spot his son among the crowd and exclaimed, "Son! Remember! You are the only son of Qiu Tianhao! You must bring honor to the Qiu family name! No matter what, do not do anything that is against your conscience! Act with honesty and integrity! Even if you die, you must die a hero! Do you hear me?!"

It normally would be difficult for anyone to focus amid the ruckus, but Qiu Zhen heard his father's words loud and clear.

However, he did not know how to respond.

He stopped in his steps and watched everyone in his family being shoved out the door like pigs on a farm.

No. This is not the way that his loved ones should be treated.

He came from a family of generals, and everyone in his family has made contributions to the state, major or minor. He could not accept this.

Qiu Zhen clenched his fist and glanced at the guard next to him. "Take me into the Imperial Palace. I need to speak to His Majesty."

**End of Prologue**

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_*Chapter Closure*_

_Welcome to the world of Chinese Assassins!_

_My goal is to update bi-weekly but if there's more support, I will aim for updates every week!_

_I'm not fluent in Chinese so if anything sounds off or if there is any confusion with character names, descriptions, or phrasing, please let me know. Don't be surprised if you see minor changes in previous chapters as I tend to go back and edit small details. Reviews, comments, support appreciated 3_

_Thanks for reading and see you in Chapter 1 :)_


	2. Chapter 1 : Orchid

In the grand court of Tianxuan's Imperial Palace, the highest-ranked officials are lined up as they await their newly-proclaimed king.

Located in the southwestern region, Tianxuan was the first among the 4 vassal states of the Juntian Empire to declare itself independent once the power of the Empire started weakening.

Tianxuan is known for its powerful army and strong military horses. A few years after the duke-turned-king came to power, he has been cultivating new lands nonstop, thus, continuously expanding the size and influence of the state.

It has been 3 years since Tianxuan's secession from Juntian, and it has remained as strong as ever.

"His Majesty has arrived!" The words of an imperial servant echoed down the hall as he announced the arrival of the king.

All the officials got on their knees and lowered their heads as Tianxuan's king gracefully strode down the purple carpet and sat upon his throne.

**Ling Guang (****陵光****, 22),** King of Tianxuan, skin as smooth as jade and as light as the moon. His eyes are large and bright, lips of a delicate pink color. His round cheeks complement his youthful appearance and the long, wavy hair flowing down his back emit a sense of elegance.

"Greetings to Your Majesty," said the officials with a deep bow.

"My subjects, you may all rise," said Ling Guang. His voice is soft and delicate.

The officials did as followed. "Thank you, Your Majesty," they said in unison.

An informant in military armor walked up to the center of the court. "Reporting to Your Majesty, our soldiers have penetrated through Yaoguang's last defense and are currently still in battle with Juntian's army. Based on the latest news sent by General Sheng, it seems like both Juntian and Yaoguang are struggling to withstand our military's might. The siege is definitely in our favor."

"Humph!" Ling Guang slammed the armrest of his throne.

The informant was taken by surprise and got down on his knees out of fear.

"If it weren't for Qiu Tianhao's hesitation to lead his army and assist General Sheng, then we would've taken complete control of Yaoguang days ago! And we wouldn't have lost so many men!" Ling Guang chided.

"Your majesty, please do not be angry. I believe General Sheng has the ability to make Juntian's army surrender and retreat in a short matter of time," said the Chancellor, in hopes of appeasing his king.

The Chancellor is the highest government official of Tianxuan and one of Ling Guang's most trusted confidants. A soft-hearted man at heart, he has dedicated his life in assisting Ling Guang to the throne and bringing honor to the state. Although he is almost four times the age of his king, he treats Ling Guang with the utmost respect because he recognizes the talents of the young king.

At the same time, he is also worried of his king's ambitions.

"Chancellor, it is not that I doubt General Sheng's abilities. I wanted to use this opportunity to show Juntian what we are capable of, and what is better than invading and seizing the little state that is Yaoguang. Yaoguang thinks that they have Juntian as support but I want to let them know that we, Tianxuan, are the ones who will determine their fate. If I want them to live then they will live. If I want them to die, then not even one life can be spared." Ling Guang's tone has gotten calmer as he replied to the Chancellor, but still possessed a sense of menace as he spoke of the enemies.

After a moment of silence from the officials, Ling Guang added, "How daring of Qiu Tianhao to delay my plan."

The court remained quiet as nobody dared to interrupt Ling Guang.

Aware of the current tense atmosphere he has created, Ling Guang turned to the informant and asked, "By last defenses, you're telling me General Sheng has reached Yaoguang's Imperial Palace?"

The informant's voice began quivering. "Y-yes, Your Majesty. If everything goes according to the General's plan, then he should have reached the Imperial Palace by now. He has asked me to request a command from Your Majesty if he should attack or not if confronted with Yaoguang's royal family."

"Attack or not? Humph! If the king of Yaoguang intended to surrender, he would've done so much earlier. With that thickheadedness, he and his men will fight to their last breath. If they all want to die, then let them die!"

Upon hearing those words, the Chancellor rushed over to beneath the king's throne and got down to his knees, "Your Majesty, please reconsider! It is too early to tell. I think the situation right now is unclear. If we terminate an entire royal family, I am afraid we will gain the title of a tyrant. Perhaps, it is best to have General Sheng wait outside the Imperial Palace with his men and let Yaoguang's king surrender willingly."

"Chancellor, Yaoguang is now no different from a wasteland. They have got nothing left to lose, and I am not afraid of extinguishing an entire state either if it guarantees us victory, especially a state as insignificant as Yaoguang."

"But Your Majesty...!" The Chancellor hesitated. He knew it was difficult to change his ruler's mind.

"Chancellor," Ling Guang interrupted. "You are putting too many worries into this. Yaoguang is just a tiny state by our borders that believe just because they have a few gold mines to their name means they can view themselves as equal to us and the other three states. My mind is set. You needn't say more."

As much as the Chancellor wanted to continue pleading, Ling Guang sent him a glare that told him his words would be useless. He could only keep his thoughts to himself and said defeatedly, "Your old subject understands and will wholeheartedly assist General Sheng."

Ling Guang smiled. "Good." He looked up at the rest of the officials standing in the court who has not spoken a single word. "Any other of my beloved subjects have something to report?"

An official standing in the back stepped out from his position and spoke with his head lowered, "Your Majesty, Lieutenant General Qiu Zhen, son of ex-High General Qiu Tianhao, requested to meet with Your Majesty earlier but I have denied his request. He refused to leave so I ordered him to wait in the Imperial Garden-"

Before the official could even finish his sentence, Ling Guang stood up from his throne. "Qiu Zhen?! He has returned?! Why did you not notify me earlier?!" Ling Guang expressed a smile of excitement. "Today's royal court assembly is dismissed! All my subjects are excused."

Ling Guang held onto both sides of the flares of his purple robe and immediately rushed to the Imperial Garden before the officials in the court could even properly acknowledge their king's departure.

The sun is bright out. Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping in the Imperial Garden.

Ling Guang hurried over to the extravagant white-stone pavilion in the center of the garden as he spotted the shadow of someone familiar standing beneath it.

"Qiu Zhen! Qiu Zhen!" he yelled out as he finally reached the pavilion.

Qiu Zhen turned around to see the beautiful man dressed in purple robes, whose appearance could light up a night sky with no stars, calling out his name. He lowered his head and greeted, "Your Majesty."

Ling Guang grabbed Qiu Zhen's cupped hands and said with a warm smile, "There's just you and me. No need for formalities."

All the guards were standing a couple feet away outside of the pavilion, leaving just the two under the shade.

Qiu Zhen did not respond and simply looked at Ling Guang.

Ling Guang studied the face he has longed to see for months before saying, "Look how skinny you have gotten..."

He looked down and suddenly realized that Qiu Zhen was wearing nothing but white garments, completely stripped of his armor or usual silk clothing.

He was dressed like a peasant.

Ling Guang shouted alarmingly, "Why are you dressed like this?! Who dares to treat you like this?!"

"It is no one other than you, Your Majesty," Qiu Zhen replied monotonously.

"I..." Ling Guang looked at him in disbelief. "Qiu Zhen..."

"Your Majesty, I came here today to ask you a question."

Ling Guang could not bear to look at Qiu Zhen in the eyes anymore and changed his direction to somewhere else. "...what do you want to know?"

Qiu Zhen's eyes, never leaving the person standing before him, calmly asked, "What place do I hold in your heart?"

**End of Chapter 1**

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Your favs/follows are my encouragement! Thank you!

**If you have not already, be sure to read the prologue! It is essential to the plot!

See you in Chapter 2!


	3. Chapter 2 : Pavilion

Ling Guang looked at Qiu Zhen in surprise. As if a million thoughts were running through his mind, he remained quiet for a while before turning away and taking a couple of steps forward.

With his back facing Qiu Zhen, he softly said, "You and I grew up together. We had a lot of great memories growing up-like in this Imperial Garden right here. That year I was only 9 and you were 12..."

Ling Guang smiled sweetly to himself as he recalled his childhood memories with Qiu Zhen and continued, "I said I wanted the single purple flower that grew on a branch on top of that tree over there

Ling Guang smiled sweetly to himself as he recalled his childhood memories with Qiu Zhen and continued, "I said I wanted the single purple flower that grew on a branch on top of that tree over there. You said by the end of the season, more flowers will grow on the lower branches, but I said I didn't want to wait so you climbed on top of the tree to pick it for me. Do you still remember?"

Ling Guang glanced at Qiu Zhen with hopeful eyes. The thousands of flowers in this garden were indeed beautiful, but none could be compared to Ling Guang's beauty. He stood out like a delicate orchid in a field of plain weeds.

Qiu Zhen let out a chuckle. "I do remember. I was an impulsive kid. Because I climbed up to pick that flower for you, I fell down, broke my ankle, and couldn't walk for weeks. Father found out about my mischief and gave me a hard lecture. I was forced to eat white porridge and stay in my room for weeks. Only Your Majesty was willing to sneak me some chicken drumsticks or else I would be stuck eating bland porridge."

Ling Guang glanced at the tree in the distance that harbored many pleasant memories. It has grown taller but still had beautiful purple flowers just like in his younger years. "If only we never grew up and stayed forever carefree like when we were kids, wouldn't everything be so much better?"

"Your Majesty, time moves on and people will change."

Ling Guang sighed, "You're correct. My journey from becoming a duke to King was not easy. Your family has assisted me a great deal. Along the way, I was faced with many challenges and you were always there to assist me. We've been through a lot together. Qiu Zhen, tell me." He turned to Qiu Zhen and said, "what place in my heart do you think you hold?"

After some thought, Qiu Zhen replied, "Your Majesty at this moment, I really can't tell."

"I knew when I made the decision to carry out the execution against your father, you will come find me. You must really hate me."

"No."

Ling Guang's eyes widened. "Huh? You don't blame me?"

Qiu Zhen shook his head and took a step closer to Ling Guang. "When I was guarding the fort at Tianxuan's borders and heard of the Royal Decree, I took the best horse and rode back day and night without stopping. I wanted to see you immediately. I wanted to ask why. I was very angry and confused. My mind was all over the place. My family's loyalty to Tianxuan, nobody understands it more than Your Majesty. I could not fathom how you were...were cruel enough to execute my father. But now I understand."

Ling Guang gave him a puzzled look.

Qiu Zhen continued, "After much persuasion, the guard and official finally allowed me to see you. They said they couldn't promise me anything, but will make the attempt to notify you and ordered me to wait here. While I was here, I overheard many things. I also ran into Minister Yan. He told me that our men were one step away from taking control of Yaoguang's capital. Had we succeeded, it would prove to be a great feat in our war against Yaoguang. More importantly, it would prove to Juntian and the 3 other vassal states that our army was able to take over an entire capital in a mere 5 days. But Father refused to lead his army into the capital to assist General Sheng. Yaoguang's citizens were already dying of starvation due to the prolonged battles, but Father still refused to invade, giving Juntian and Yaoguang the opportunity to regain favor and wipe out 200 of General Sheng's men. All the officials of the court were furious and insistently demanded Father be punished for disobeying Your Majesty's orders."

Ling Guang sighed, "I was very angry. He caused us to lose 200 talented soldiers to save the dying citizens of Yaoguang. As a seasoned High General, I was very disappointed in him. But at the same time, the blood, sweat, and tears he has spilled for Tianxuan over the years cannot be overlooked. "

"Father has dedicated his entire life fighting for Tianxuan, but he made a fatal mistake this time due to his softheartedness. His crime cannot be forgiven, but as his son, I cannot blame him. Your Majesty, that is why you ordered his punishment to be poison wine, isn't it? So he can die in one piece?"

"I could not bear to have High General Qiu and his family be subjected to beheadings. Qiu Zhen, I am sorry. I cannot give them a proper burial ceremony either. For disobeying my orders, High General Qiu has committed treason and will be written down as a traitor in Tianxuan's history books. It is a law even I cannot change."

Qiu Zhen scoffed defeatedly. "All my ancestors were celebrated heroes. They risked their lives to bring glory to the Qiu family. Being written as a traitor is even worth than death for Father. I've always thought I would die on the battlefield," He glanced over at Ling Guang, "or die for someone I cherish the most, but it looks like I am bound to die a shameful death."

"No. I will not let you die," Ling Guang stated assuredly.

Qiu Zhen looked at Ling Guang in surprise.

Ling Guang said sternly, "What if I asked you, in exchange for freedom and your family honor, to infiltrate the Juntian Empire and assassinate its ruler, Emperor Qikun?"

****

**End of Chapter 2**

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Things are about to start rolling! New characters are about to take the stage!

How do you view the current relationship between Qiu Zhen and Ling Guang?

Favs/follows let me know if you are reading :)

See you in chapter 3!


	4. Chapter 3 : Divinity

Fires crackled. The wind blew loudly.

Ashes and smoke filled the air so thick it was nearly impossible to see anything except the debris that remained. Thousands of bodies, in either bright red or purple armor and still damp with fresh blood, laid all across the stone fort that looked over the city-state of Yaoguang.

The only remaining city, Yaoguang's capital, has become incredibly desolate. Not even a shadow can be seen. What used to be a small, but lively and prosperous state has become unfathomably melancholy and gloom.

Beneath the steps of the fort, a pair of small feet wearing red shoes appeared. The slender figure slowly stepped over the bodies of dead soldiers, avoiding any blood or rubble that obstructed its path, and made its way up the fort.

**Murong Li (****慕容离****, 22),** Prince of Yaoguang, with features as soft as a feather, glimpsed at the fallen Yaoguang flag that laid on the cold ground as he reached the top. His features are small and delicate, his lips a pale red. Two long strands of hair hung over the sides of his cheeks. There was something ethereal about Murong Li. Every footstep was graceful. He was as beautiful as a fairy who just descended to the mortal realm.

Murong Li took a seat at the top of the fort and looked down at the thousands of fallen soldiers in the city of ruins. He laid out a set of small cups made of gold, poured himself some wine from a wine vessel, and took a sip.

He poured another cup after the first one was emptied. This time, he dribbled the wine on the ground.

Murong Li stared at the distance for a while, not saying a word or moving a finger. He felt as if he was the only person in existence at this moment. He then continued to hastily gulp down several more cups of wine until he finally decided to throw the cup aside, grab the vessel, and lift it up above his face to let the wine pour directly into his mouth.

"Murong Li, that is enough!" yelled a voice approaching him.

Murong Li stopped and put the vessel down, "You're here." His voice was low and brittle.

He poured some wine into another cup, stood up, and offered it to the person who now stood beside him, "Here, drink with me."

The person slapped his hand, causing Murong Li to drop the cup. The wine spilled on the ground. "Murong Li, wake up!"

**Cai Xu (****蔡煦****, 24)**, son of a Yaoguang nobleman, grabbed Murong Li's shoulders to turn and face him. Cai Xu was a person of average looks who appeared frail and sickly. Currently, he looked he only had half his life left. His face was sickeningly pale.

"A'Xu*, just let me be," said Murong Li. _(A/N 1)_

"What are you doing here?! Tianxuan's army is on the hunt for you right now! You appearing in the open like this is seeking suicide! Are you crazy?!" cried Cai Xu.

Murong Li drooped his head, "My country* is destroyed. My father and everyone are all gone. What meaning is there left for me to remain in this world?" _(A/N 2)_

"Silly person. I am still here, aren't I? Although we have not bowed to the heavens and earth, I already see you as my wife. I will not let anything happen to you," Cai Xu assured.

"The day you were going to ask Royal Father for my hand-in-marriage, he received a declaration of war from Tianxuan's king. Don't you think this is heaven playing with us?" Murong Li glumly replied.

"No. A'Li, this is not the end. You have to believe me. Take a look at this." Cai Xu took out a small embroidered box from his sleeves and opened it to reveal an intricately-carved jade seal. It was the Royal Seal of Yaoguang, used by the King to stamp relics and sacred documents.

"Yaoguang's royal jade seal?" Murong Li asked in surprise. "How did you manage to retrieve it? I thought it was lost forever when Tianxuan's men invaded the Imperial Palace."

"Don't worry about that. The most important item is back in your hands. What matters most now is to gather forces and restore Yaoguang back to its glory days. A'Li, there is hope. This is not the end of Yaoguang." Cai Xu's voice was full of hope and zeal.

After looking at the Royal Seal for a while, Murong Li suddenly noticed the sleeve on Cai Xu's right arm was slowly dampening with red. He immediately grabbed his arm and pushed up the sleeve to reveal a deep cut that was bleeding.

Murong Li cried out, "How did you get hurt?!"

Cai Xu shook his head, "It's nothing. A'Li, listen to me. You're the only surviving heir to Yaoguang's royal family. You must restore the kingdom. All we need is patience. Patience and time."

"Cai Xu, answer me right now! How did you get hurt?! Is it because you went to retrieve this seal?!"

Cai Xu sighed and knew that Murong Li would not give up until he gave a definite answer, "I am so useless. Just retrieving the Royal Seal and I managed to almost get caught. This weak body can't do anything right. Don't worry, it is just a surface wound."

"Surface wound?! This obviously is a sword slash!"

"But the Royal S-"

Murong Li knocked the seal from Cai Xu's hands and it fell onto the ground. "Do you not understand? Look around us! So much blood has been shed. I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want to see more people lose their lives. I'm so tired... I really am..." Murong Li's voice became brittle as he sounded more and more dejected.

Cai Xu grabbed Murong Li and pulled him into a tight hug. "I know this is hard on you, but for every citizen of Yaoguang, for His Majesty, for me, you must hang on."

Murong Li felt like his world was tumbling down. After living in fear and hiding for so many days, his body felt physically weak. His mind was in scrambles.

Cai Xu's embrace provided him a moment of tranquility. With his chin resting on Cai Xu's shoulders, Murong Li began to recall the happy memories he had before the war began.

Living in affluence and peace his entire life as the young prince of Yaoguang, Murong Li rarely experienced a day of hardship. His family spoiled him. He was going to be the heir to the throne, the person that all the citizens of Yaoguang honored and depended on. His longed-for marriage with Cai Xu was about to initiate.

But in one day, the state of Tianxuan has caused him to lose both country and family. He lost everything he loved and cherished. After what seemed like an eternity, a thought crossed his mind.

"I promise you," Murong Li muffled, his chin still on Cai Xu's shoulders.

Upon hearing those words, Cai Xu pulled out of the hug and looked at Murong Li.

"You are right. As the heir of Yaoguang, I have the duty to protect my people. If I give up, then how will I face my ancestors and all the citizens of Yaoguang?" Murong Li said softly.

Cai Xu smiled. "Hearing those words of yours have made me very relieved."

"A'Xu, I only have you now. Let's restore Yaoguang together."

As Cai Xu lifted his hand to caress Murong Li's cheeks, loud chants and sounds of galloping horses broke the silence.

"Remaining occupants of the capital, reveal yourselves now and surrender to the glory of our great King of Tianxuan and we will spare your lives, or else, do not blame us for being cruel!"

Murong Li and Cai Xu quickly scurried over to hide behind the columns of the fort. They peeked down to see hundreds of soldiers on their horses being lead by an intimidating man in armor. It was the voice of General Sheng leading an army of soldiers behind him. Purple flags raised proudly in the wind.

"They've returned. There's no place else to hide. Sooner or later, they'll know I'm here. I'm afraid if I don't show myself they'll start hurting innocent civilians. They will not quit until they kill off every member of the royal family. They want to see me dead," whispered Murong Li, distressfully.

"A'Li, remember my words, " Cai Xu grasped Murong Li's hands and held them tightly. "You must persevere. You must seek revenge. You must restore the kingdom and carry out your destiny as the King of Yaoguang. Do not forget your reason to stay alive."

"I-" Murong Li was suddenly knocked unconscious in the back of the head with a heavy object-the Yaoguang Royal Seal.

Murong Li fell back and Cai Xu caught him in his bosom.

Cai Xu began taking off the outer layers of Murong Li's clothes, removing his royal red robe. He then took off the gray robes that he was wearing and wrapped it around Murong Li. He quickly put the red robes on himself along with Murong Li's crown and placed it on his own head.

After Cai Xu finished exchanging the two's outer garments, he lifted Murong Li up to carry him in his two arms. From behind the column, a masked man, dressed completely in black, appeared. Cai Xu carefully handed the unconscious Murong Li to the man, picked up the jade seal to put it back in its box, and instructed, "Take A'Li out of here. Go past the northern border of Yaoguang. There should be some people waiting to assist you. Ensure A'Li leaves here safely."

"Master..." uttered the masked man.

Before he could finish, Cai Xu shoved the box containing the Royal Seal into the man's empty hand and exclaimed, "Hurry! There's no time. Take good care of A'Li for me."

The masked man nodded in hesitation, and within seconds, has disappeared behind the walls of the fort, carrying Murong Li and the Royal Seal.

Cai Xu pulled out a dagger from his inner garments.

_Slash. Slash._

Cai Xu made several cuts on his face with the dagger.

_Slash._

He made several more deep cuts. His forehead, cheeks, and chin were dripping with blood.

"Prince of Yaoguang! We know you are here! Reveal yourself now and we will escort you back to Tianxuan alive!" shouted General Sheng from below. "I will count to three. If you don't reveal yourself, then I might just have to let my men go up there! By then, I can't guarantee your safety! Three...! Two...! On-"

_Thud!_

A body fell from the top of the fort and landed face-down on the cold concrete right in front of the hundreds of soldiers waiting below. Upon a closer look, the person was dressed in a brilliant red robe, a crown on his head. Blood was oozing out from the broken skull; the face so disfigured it was unrecognizable.

**End of Chapter 3**

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*_A/N 1_: Adding the prefix A', pronounced ah, before a person's name is considered an informal and endearing way to address someone that you are close to.

**_A/N 2_: Country and kingdom interchangeable words. Characters will refer to whatever they are home to their country/kingdom. The four vassal states (including Tianxuan) are territories under the Juntian Empire. Only Juntian is referred to as an Empire. Yaoguang is a city-state, about 1/3 the size of a vassal state that borders Tianxuan, also under Juntian's rule. Vassal states and Yaoguang are governed by individual kings, Juntian is ruled by an Emperor. More details on this later.

See you in chapter 4.


	5. Chapter 4 : Deceit

"Protect His Majesty!"

**Qikun (****啟昆****, 27)**, Emperor of the Juntian Empire, clothes stained in blood, gripped the sword in his hand as he tried to fend off the masked men surrounding him.

His personal guards were lessening in numbers as they were slain under the hands of the swift assassins.

Ever since Qikun began losing influence in the courts, his subjects submitted registration letters one by one, claiming that it was time for them to retire due to old age.

Recently, Qikun discovered that most of the retired government officials had relocated their homes to settle in Tianxuan's prosperous cities. To investigate further into this matter, he proceeded on a confidential trip to trace the departed officials' steps. Most importantly, he wanted to know if they were now working for Tianxuan's king, Ling Guang, and only used retirement as a cover-up.

Because it would be humiliating if made publicly, Qikun personally set out on the trip and brought along only 10 guards while dressed underwhelmingly to avoid being noticed.

The road to Tianxuan was strangely calm. Qikun already sensed something strange as he approached the desolate border of Juntian-and his hunch was right. On the third day of his journey, roughly 20 men, dressed completely in black with their faces covered, leaped out from nearby bushes and ambushed Qikun and his guards.

With the enemies outnumbering him and all his guards dead, Qikun was pushed to a corner.

_'It seems like this is how my life will end. I can't believe that those four traitors finally had the guts to assassinate me,'_ he thought, slowly backing up into a tree.

The assassins steadily approached him with their sharp swords.

Qikun bumped his back against a tree. Realizing he had nowhere to run, he exclaimed, "I will never die under the hands of you traitors! Tell me! Which state do you guys belong to so I can rest in peace. Is it Tianxuan? Tianshu? Tianquan? Or did Tianji finally decide to betray me too?!"

One of the assassins replied in a gruff voice, "You are about to die. Does it really matter?! Just know that once you die, His Majesty will become Emperor of all the lands!"

Qikun laughed bitterly. "With the Seal of Juntian still in my hands, how can they declare themselves as Emperor? They can have my dead corpse but they will never obtain the throne! Tell your king to keep on dreaming!"

His words angered the assassins. They immediately charged towards him.

As Qikun was about to fight back with his last breath, two assassins suddenly collapsed to the ground, blood gushing out of their necks. Upon closer observations, they were inflicted with poison darts. Three more then toppled over.

A young man, dressed in dark purple, emerged out of nowhere and fended off all the skilled killers. With his rapid sword movements, all the assassins laid dead on the ground within minutes.

The desolate grass road became quiet again. Only the loud wind and rustling leaves could be heard.

Qikun was in disbelief and gazed at the man who just saved his life. "You are?"

"My family name is Qiu, named Zhen."

Qikun studied him for a while and continued, "Looking at your clothes, you don't look like you are from here. The surname Qiu is also not quite common. What brings you to such a place?"

Qiu Zhen sighed. "Shameful to say, I am actually a fugitive."

"Fugitive? This surname Qiu. Could it be you are related to..."

"Yes. Tianxuan's High General Qiu Tianhao is my father." Qiu Zhen interrupted.

Emperor Qikun took a step back upon hearing the mention of Tianxuan. With the current, tension, he never thought he would run into a Tianxuan citizen at the borders of Juntian. "I have heard about what happened to Qiu Tianhao and his family. Ling Guang is indeed a cold-blooded tyrant. Why did you decide to come here?"

"My family's assets have been confiscated. Entire household detained. Luckily, I was able to escape the prisons and have been on the run since. But my father was not that lucky. I'm afraid by now, he is no longer in this world."

Qiu Zhen looked down in grief as the thought of his entire family succumbing to the death sentence crossed his mind. He lost balance and fell with one knee to the ground. Qikun rushed over and grabbed his arm.

"You're injured." He noticed Qiu Zhen's leg had a large cut. _'He must've gotten injured while saving me.'_

"Let me take you back to Juntian. It is not safe out here."

Qiu Zhen grunted from the pain. "I-it's not appropriate. Not only am I a disgraceful criminal, but I am also a citizen of Tianxuan. I will only be a laughingstock if I showed up in Juntian's mainlands."

Emperor Qikun snickered. "With me here, who dares to laugh at you?"

Qiu Zhen looked at the man now just inches away from his face. "You are...?"

"I am Qikun, Emperor of Juntian and all the lands beneath it."

Qiu Zhen gasped, and immediately cupped his hands and lowered his head. "Greetings, Your Majesty. Please excuse my manners from earlier."

"Do not worry about it. Here, let me help you up." He held onto Qiu Zhen's shoulders and walked with him to rest beside a tree.

The two sat in the shade and continued their conversation.

"Your martial skills are not bad. No wonder you are the son of a High General. Too bad Ling Guang doesn't see the treasure in front of his eyes." Qikun proclaimed.

"Your Majesty, I am undeserving of those praises. At Tianxuan, I was just a mere Lieutenant General who guarded borders."

"But you saved my life. That is enough to show me your capabilities. You unknowingly crossing paths with me is also fate. Even though your father was the High General of Tianxuan, he refused to invade Yaoguang. That means he didn't kill any of my Juntian's men. I cannot blame him for our loss nor consider the Qiu clan our enemies." Qikun stared into the distance and reflected at the embarrassing lost his men faced in Yaoguang, including the calamity that ensued.

"I am a thousand times grateful that Your Majesty understands my father's actions. Unfortunately, the House of Qiu is no more. That means I have no links left with Tianxuan. Tianxuan's king has issued a bounty to capture me. His doings have eliminated any remaining relations our Qiu clan has to the state," Qiu Zhen replied. He let out another grunt as the pain on his leg became stronger.

Qikun worriedly glanced over. "This is not a minor injury. Qiu Xiansheng*, if you have nowhere to go, come back with me to serve Juntian. I will find an appropriate position for you." _(A/N 1)_

"But I-"

"You are a descendant from a family of generals and I reign over the entire lands. Citizen of Tianxuan or not, you are still considered one of my subjects and people. Could it be that you do not recognize Tianxuan as part of Juntian?!"

"I do not dare, Your Majesty." Qiu Zhen lowered his head again.

"Good. Then please do not refuse me anymore. With your skills, perhaps one day, you will be able to clear your family's name and reign over your own territory in Tianxuan."

Qiu Zhen's eyes lit up. "Your Majesty, could it be that you intend to send troops to there?!"

Qikun asked in a low tone. "Qiu Xiansheng is a smart man. Ling Guang is a big thorn in my eyes. If I do not get rid of him soon, the heads of the other three states might think they can step over me as well. If the day comes, and you and that traitor, Ling Guang were to meet on the battlefield, whose side will you pledge your loyalty to?"

Qiu Zhen looked in the distance and replied sternly, "To avenge my father, and for killing my family, if there really is that day, then I will not show mercy to Tianxuan's king."

Qikun smiled and nodded in approval.

He helped Qiu Zhen up, and the two began their three-day journey back to the Imperial Palace of Juntian.

Resting in an inn that night, Qiu Zhen laid in his wooden bed with his bandaged leg. He could not sleep and merely stared at the ceiling.

_'Your Majesty, how are you doing? I have successfully earned Emperor Qikun's trust. Please take care of yourself and await my return,' _he thought.

**End of Chapter 4**

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*_A/N 1_: Xiansheng (先生), a polite form to address a man in Chinese. English equivalent is 'mister.'

Hopefully these chapters have not been too slow. The other 3 states will be introduced soon! ^^


	6. Chapter 5 : Parting

The night at the inn was quiet.

Qiu Zhen laid in his bed, eyes still open.

He leaned over to his bedside and reached for a heavy object-a long sword. Its sheath was intricately designed with metallic blue patterns, the symbols engraved near the handle in gold.

Qiu Zhen closed his eyes and recalled the conversation he shared with Ling Guang under the pavilion.

_*Flashback*_

"What if I asked you, in exchange for freedom and your family honor, to infiltrate the Juntian Empire and assassinate its ruler, Emperor Qikun?" said Ling Guang.

Qiu Zhen did not reply.

"Are you unwilling?" Ling Guang asked.

Qiu Zhen thought for a moment and answered monotonously, "As long as Your Majesty commands, my life is yours."

Ling Guang walked a few paces forward and gazed at the pond in front of the pavilion. "My messenger informed that Emperor Qikun has been buying horses and recruiting soldiers diligently. If our siege on Yaoguang is a success, this will be a big blow to Juntian's reputation. I'm afraid he will officially declare war against us to settle this conflict once and for all."

"With our current strength, it could not be that Your Majesty is concerned about losing to Juntian," Qiu Zhen noted.

Ling Guang sighed. "You are right. It is not that I have no confidence in this potential war, but after losing so many soldiers in Yaoguang, I do not want to see any more of my people shed blood in vain. If any of my Tianxuan citizens die, they must die for a cause. Others may view me as cold-hearted, but I only punish those who do not do good for the country. Each individual citizen of Tianxuan is important to me. It hurts me just as much to punish my own people."

Qiu Zhen walked closer to Ling Guang. "Others may not understand now, but one day they'll recognize the sacrifices you have made for them."

Ling Guang smiled gently, evoking a sense of peace and warmth.

"I know this a difficult task, but I want to place a spy next to Emperor Qikun. After much consideration, I think you are the best fit. If what the messenger said was true, find an opportunity to eliminate him before he leads his soldiers to attack Tianxuan. I will fake your escape from prison and issue a bounty to capture you so Qikun does not suspect."

Qiu Zhen nodded.

Ling Guang continued, "If you cannot find the chance, then just come back. I will not blame you. No matter the outcome, I will convince the officials to erase your family's crime from the history books. As a reward for your contributions, your father's actions will not be recorded."

Qiu Zhen lowered his head and said, "I will not disappoint."

The following night, Qiu Zhen silently headed for the gates of the capital, carrying nothing with him except a bag of clothes, dry food, and a rusty sword.

Just as he was about to cross, a small shadow emerged from the dark. It was Ling Guang carrying a shiny object in his hands.

"Qiu Zhen..." Ling Guang muttered.

"Your Majesty, you should not have come here."

"I... I just wanted to escort you out."

"I will not fail Your Majesty's orders. You needn't worry."

"Between you and me now, is there nothing else we can talk about besides state affairs?"

Qiu Zhen looked away and did not respond.

"This journey will be full of obstacles. I am most concerned about your safety." He put out the shiny object and handed it to Qiu Zhen. "Take this sword. I hope it can protect you on your journey."

Qiu Zhen ran his fingers down the sword's sheath, which glistened against the reflection of the moon. "What a magnificent sword," he uttered in awe.

"This sword was forged by a renowned bladesmith who resides in the mountains of Tianji."

"Tianji?" Qiu Zhen questioned. "Could it be the eccentric bladesmith Qi Shifu* who only forges whenever and for whoever he wants to?" _(A/N 1)_

"You've heard about him as well? I was in need of a reliable weapon to keep by my side, so I ordered someone to anonymously travel to Tianji and ask this bladesmith to forge a sword for me. At first, he rejected no matter how much money he was offered, but after discovering that it was for me, he accepted. He did not even accept a single coin for his work."

"As someone from Tianji, he should reject forging such a valuable weapon for someone from another state, let alone its ruler. Yet by looking at this, the craft and dedication he poured into making this sword are apparent. Tianji is indeed full of strange people."

Ling Guang said softly, "Qiu Zhen, the sword is yours. I believe in you to carry out this mission successfully. Tianxuan and I will wait for your safe return."

"Thank you for the wonderful gift. Your Majesty, you can return now."

Qiu Zhen's words were so cold and distant it pierced through Ling Guang's heart like icicles. Specks of tears started to appear in his eyes. "Qiu Zhen, do you still-"

Qiu Zhen raised his hand to cut off Ling Guang. "Your Majesty, what's done is done. I have to leave now or else people will discover me once the sun rises."

With those words, he turned his back and began walking out the gates. Ling Guang still had many things he wanted to say, but words could not come out of his mouth. He could only watch as Qiu Zhen's shadow disappeared into the night.

_*End of flashback*_

Qiu Zhen clutched onto the sword as he pictured Ling Guang one last time and forced himself to sleep.

_Clop! Clop!_

Murong Li felt like his world was turning. There was a pulsing ache in the back of his head. He hasn't had a full meal and proper sleep since Tianxuan's attack. Dehydration worsened his lethargy.

"Umph..." he groaned. _'Where am I? Am I...moving?'_ Murong Li tried to regain his composure and patted the back of his head.

_Clop! Clop! Clop!_

_'Is that the sound of horse gallops?'_

Murong Li sat up straight and realized he was in a dark, cramp space. '_A horse carriage?! Why am I inside a horse carriage?'_

He lifted the curtains of the carriage to see the back of a man wearing a hooded cape riding the horse that was leading his carriage.

"Who are you?!" Murong Li exclaimed.

The grass road was desolate. No one else was in sight.

Upon hearing Murong Li, the man pulled on the horse's rein, making it let out a loud neigh. The carriage stopped moving.

The man got off his horse, pulled his hood down, and immediately got down to one knee. "Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Geng Chen, dedicated to serve and protect Your Highness with my life."

**Geng Chen (****庚辰****, 20)**, a young assassin with a slender jaw and eyes that almost seemed emotionless. He carried with himself a deadly aura.

"How did you know who I am? Where are you taking me?" Murong Li's voice was full of distress, his mind in shambles, body exhausted.

"Apologies if I had given Your Highness a scare. I was born and raised in Yaoguang. I initially was a low-ranked guard until I was recruited by Master to train and become a professional assassin," Geng Chen explained.

Murong Li looked at him in suspicion.

"If Your Highness does not believe me." Geng Chen took out an embroidered box from his vest. "This is Yaoguang's Royal Seal. Master instructed me to hand it to you once you are conscious."

"Master? Who's your master?" Murong Li reached out to grab the box. He peeked inside to confirm that it was indeed Yaoguang's jade seal.

Geng Chen hesitated to answer. "My mast-"

Before he could finish, Murong Li noticed the sleeve color on his arm. It wasn't the familiar red that he was wearing earlier. It was now a dull gray, like the robe that he remembered A'Xu last wore.

Murong Li's expression changed. "...where's A'Xu?"

Geng Chen remained on his knee.

Murong Li jumped down from the carriage and grabbed Geng Chen's arms. "I'm asking you where is A'Xu?! Cai Xu! Where is he?! Why am I wearing his clothes?! Answer me!"

"Your Highness, master... he...," Geng Chen stuttered.

Murong Li's head became heavy. His vision was hazy and his words began to slur. He almost toppled over until Geng Chen bolted up and caught him in time.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

Geng Shen slightly shook Murong Li to help him regain alertness, but all he could hear was Murong Li mumble "A'Xu" repeatedly.

All of a sudden, a large group of scruffy-looking men came charging up the road with swords and sabers, yelling like barbarians.

"Hand over all your valuables now!" one of them shouted.

Geng Chen snickered to himself, "At a time like this, the last thing I expected was to run into bandits."

"Why are you still standing there? Did you not hear us?!" they shouted again impatiently.

Geng Chen smirked. "Even if every one of you came at me at once, you all will still not be my opponent. Run while you still have the chance."

"Little rascal, who do you think you're scaring?" a bandit shouted.

The crowd roared and hollered as they surrounded the two.

Murong Li's sudden whimpers disrupted the noise. "A'Xu... A'Xu..." Murong Li was completely unaware of his surroundings, nor did he care. He was in a daze, his body still being supported by Geng Chen.

All the bandits became quiet as their attention shifted to the beauty standing before them.

A bearded man, who seemed to be the leader of the bandits, walked closer to them. "What is such a divine beauty doing out in the open like this?"

As he was about to reach for Murong Li, Geng Shen stepped back, still holding tightly onto the young prince, and avoided the man's hand.

Geng Shen unsheathed the sword from his waist, and in what seemed like faster than a flash of lightning, sliced off the bandit's arm.

**End of Chapter 5**

* * *

*_A/N 1_: Shifu (师父) a title for a master or skillful person of a craft.

See you in chapter 6.


	7. Chapter 6 : Hope

The crowd froze, petrified.

The bandit leader screamed in horror as he watched his severed arm fall to the ground.

"Get this rascal for me!" He shouted, pointing straight ahead. He retreated to a corner as the group of bandits began charging towards Geng Chen and Murong Li.

The young assassin, still holding on tightly to the feeble prince, swerved left and right. The bandits' swords and sabers lunged at him from all directions. Geng Chen was incredibly fast; his feet glided across the grass like seabirds drifting over waters. The bandits struggled to lay a finger on him.

As quick as he was, it was difficult for Geng Chen to suppress all the bandits at once. With one arm occupied, he only managed to decrease the bandits' numbers by half after much resistance.

Geng Chen knew that wasting time and energy to eliminate these barbarians were meaningless. Seeing the weak state Murong Li was in, he knew that the young prince's safety and wellbeing was his priority. As soon as he saw the opportunity to transport Murong Li back into the carriage and leave, the rope that tied the horse to the carriage was abruptly cut off. Free from its restraint, the horse ran off instantaneously. The carriage was subsequently knocked over by the bandits and smashed to bits.

"Want to escape?!" The bandit leader, who has been watching the events unfold from a short distance, laughed menacingly to himself. "I don't think so!"

Like a madman, he lunged towards Murong Li from behind and grabbed onto his shoulder.

Murong Li dropped the box containing the royal seal in his hands from the sudden shock and force.

Geng Chen, without turning around, thrust his sword back and impaled the bandit leader's neck. Blood spurted from his mouth as he fell over and died on the spot.

Amid the chaos, the box was kicked around on the ground. It was impossible to keep sight of it as the bandits continued to aggressively attack Geng Chen and Murong Li.

About five-hundred meters down the road, a man leading a small of group of guards dressed in lavish uniforms and armed with shiny swords, began heading up the hill.

"Eh? What's all the commotion up there?" The man's voice was mellow and of a higher pitch.

**Mo Lan (****莫澜****, 26)**, an acclaimed magistrate, with olive skin and dark circles under his eyes. Based on the silk garments and expensive accessories he was wearing, one can immediately tell he came from a wealthy background.

A guard replied, "Magistrate Mo, permit me to go up and check."

Mo Lan nodded. He and the rest of the guards stayed behind to wait.

After a short while, the guard returned. "Replying to Magistrate Mo, there seems to be a fight involving bandits ahead. Should we proceed?"

Mo Lan waved his hand. "I can't let a couple of rogue fighters obstruct my path! If I'm late, how will I report to His Majesty? Prepare to head up the hill!"

With the horse gone and carriage destroyed, Geng Chen became increasingly annoyed at the stubborn bandits who would not surrender. Every time he saw an opportunity to flee, the bandits would block him or purposely aim at Murong Li to distract him.

At that moment, several guards in unfamiliar uniforms sprinted up the hill, throwing darts at the bandits. More guards came charging up with their swords and joined the battle.

Geng Chen did not know who these strange men were but was momentarily glad for their assistance. While the two sides were busy fighting, Geng Chen held onto Murong Li and the two hid behind a nearby bush. To avoid drawing attention, he decided to wait for the fight to end before leaving the scene.

The guards were incredibly swift. Geng Chen, secretly watching from the bushes, could tell these uniformed men were expert fighters.

_'These people must work for the government,'_ Geng Chen thought.

Within moments, all the bandits were mercilessly slain. Quietness returned.

"G...Geng Chen," Murong Li muttered, his words barely audible.

Geng Chen moved his ear closer to Murong Li and asked, "Your Highness? What is it?"

"The... the Royal Seal..."

Geng Chen looked down and realized that Yaoguang's Royal Seal was no longer in Murong Li's hands.

He glanced up and saw the box in the center of the road, laying between the bandits' dead bodies. Instinctively, he wanted to get up and grab it but decided to hold back.

_'If I attempt to retrieve the seal, that would reveal our presence. These guards not only outnumber me but they are also rather skilled. His Highness is also too weak right now. I can't take the risk to let them know we're here,' _he thought.

Mo Lan walked around to scan the dead bodies on the ground. Geng Chen's bag of belongings that contained some money, food, and clothes was torn open. Mo Lan did not pay attention to it. Instead, a box caught his eye. He bent down, picked it up, and opened it to reveal a jade seal.

Holding the seal in his hands, he exclaimed, "What a precious-looking seal! His Majesty must be ecstatic once I return and show this great find to him!"

It took much will-power for Geng Chen to resist snatching the seal from Mo Lan's hands.

"Let's keep going!" Mo Lan instructed. With those words, he and the guards proceeded to head up the hill.

After making sure that everyone was gone, Geng Chen finally emerged from the bushes. He placed Murong Li next to a tree to get some rest while he analyzed the scene.

Geng Chen regathered his belongings but threw away the food as it was now too dirty to eat. Afterward, he returned to check up on Murong Li. "Your Highness? How are you feeling?"

"W...water," Murong Li moaned.

"I... I don't have water on me right now. Those damned bandits freed our horse and destroyed our carriage. I'm afraid we're still far away from any civilization. Those men just now, if I'm not wrong, must be some type of government officers. I think it's best if we avoid crossing paths with them." Geng Chen sighed and glanced at the setting sun. "It's getting dark. We might have to camp out in the woods tonight."

Murong Li let out a couple of weak coughs.

"Your Highness, these corpses will attract wild beasts. Let me carry you to find a safer place."

Geng Chen carried Murong Li in his arms and purposely went off the road, looking for a source of water.

Luckily after much walking, he found a stream inside the dense woods.

It was deep in the night. Geng Chen had started a small fire and was roasting a fish he caught in the waters on a stick. Murong Li was resting near the fire, drinking stream water from a leaf. He seemed to have regained a bit of vigor and appeared less pale.

"Your Highness, the fish is ready." Geng Chen handed the fish over to Murong Li. "Please be careful. It is still hot."

Murong Li grabbed the stick. "Thank you."

"It is my duty to serve you."

"Yaoguang has been overthrown. You do not need to keep calling me Your Highness. You are free to do whatever you want to and live your life. You do not have to stay here and care for me."

"Your subject is a Yaoguang citizen. You will always be my prince. Besides, I owe Master everything I have. Without him, I would still be a lowly guard. I have pledged to him that I will serve and protect Your Highness until my last breath."

"A'Xu planned this all along, didn't he? He has long arranged for you to come and take me away so he could sacrifice himself to fool Tianxuan's men."

"Your Highness, so you have already guessed it..."

Murong Li looked up at the night stars to avoid his tears from pouring down. "A'Xu's greatest wish has always been to serve the country like his brothers. But because he was born with a weak body and often prone to illnesses, his father only allowed him to stay in and study. His father said even if he couldn't fight on the battlefields, he could still assist the king with his intelligence. So he studied day and night, hoping one day he could help Royal Father dissect appeals in court... he was the most studious and well-versed man I've ever come across..."

Geng Chen listened intently. He could see the glimmers of tears in the young prince's eyes.

Murong Li continued, "Royal Father rejected A'Xu's wedding proposals to me many times. He said A'Xu was not a strong hero who could protect me. The two of us kneeled outside Royal Father's sleeping chambers for two whole days. Royal Father finally gave in and permitted A'Xu to marry me. I could tell that he only approved out of his love for me. For A'Xu, he still had much disdain."

"His Majesty must've loved Your Highness very much," Geng Chen noted.

Murong Li nodded. "Royal Father doted on me. Even if he disliked A'Xu, he still promised to arrange our wedding ceremony to be very extravagant just to make me happy."

Speaking slowly, Murong Li continued, "Before A'Xu died, he still thought of the country. He reminded me repeatedly to restore Yaoguang. If Royal Father heard those words, he must be very proud to know I did not choose the wrong person. But before we could even officially become husband and wife, he has left me to fight this war by myself. I have nothing left of his except these bloody garments. Even the Royal Seal I managed to lose."

"Your Highness, it is my fault for not being able to retrieve the seal," Geng Chen said, lowering his head.

"You already tried your best. You don't have to blame yourself." Murong Li's tone was very dejected and somber.

Geng Chen's eyes lit up as he recalled something. He reached into his waistband to pull out a long flute that was hidden behind his cape.

"How did you get it?!" Murong Li gasped.

"Master handed this to me and instructed me to give it to you. Because I was so focused on bringing you to safety, I almost forgot about it."

"He must've found it in the Imperial Palace when he went to search for the Royal Seal." Murong Li took the flute from Geng Chen's hands and admired it with care. It was the first time Geng Chen saw his prince smile.

"Thank you, Geng Chen. At least I still have something of A'Xu's to keep by my side."

Geng Chen gave a modest bow. Seeing that Murong Li's mood has been slightly lifted, he proceeded to ask, "Your Highness, what are our plans now?"

"What I promised A'Xu I will not forget. I will restore Yaoguang back to its glory, no matter the costs." Murong Li gripped onto the flute in his hands.

"The man who left with the Royal Seal today..."

"The Royal Seal, we will take back. I remember the man's face clearly. If the heavens really cared for the fate of Yaoguang, we will run into him again. For now, I will focus on survival. We have to preserve ourselves to have the energy to fight anyone that opposes us. From now on, I am not your prince. If there are others here, address me as Gongzi*." _(A/N 1)_

Geng Chen was excited to see his new master full of determination and strength. "Yes, Gongzi!"

By the break of dawn, random noises of chatters and musical instruments woke up Murong Li and Geng Chen, who have fallen asleep in the woods. They quietly snuck out to investigate the noise that was coming from the main road.

A musical troupe of about 10 people, holding instruments in their hands, passed by.

Murong Li and Geng Chen exchanged glances, signaling that this was their chance.

They leaped out from behind the tall grass, which made the entire troupe stop in their tracks.

The troupe leader, a middle-aged man with a mustache, walked forward and studied the two young men standing before him. "May I ask who you two are and why did you block our path?"

Geng Chen, who has taken off his cape and vest to avoid suspicion, replied, "Hello. I am a servant and this is my master." He lifted his hand to indicate Murong Li, who just greeted with a nod. "We're from a small village that was unfortunately ravaged by bandits. My master and I have been on the run since. We've been starving for days. We're lucky enough to have run into your troupe here and was hoping you'd take us in. We won't ask for much. Just three meals a day and a place of shelter are enough."

The troupe leader's eyes were locked on Murong Li-features so delicate and beautiful, yet expression so cold. Murong Li's appearance was too enchanting. He noticed the flute in Murong Li's hands and figured he must have some musical skills to possess such a valuable instrument.

After some consideration, he concluded that Murong Li's presence alone would attract more audiences for his troupe and accepted their offer.

Murong Li and Geng Chen happily joined the troupe under their new identities.

**End of Chapter 6**

️

* * *

*_A/N 1_: Gongzi (公子), a young man, usually of nobility or wealth.

A longer chapter than usual. I hope everyone enjoyed! This chapter was very sad to write.

Cheers for a new Murong Li :)


	8. Chapter 7 : Serendipity

In the isolated mountains of Tianji, a young man was casually heading home after a long day of collecting wood in the forest.

**Qi Zhikan (****齐之侃****, 20)**, the handsome son of a bladesmith with dark eyebrows and round eyes. Qi Zhikan grew up in the mountains and rarely had contact with people of the outside world. Although he had limited education, his father often relayed to him tales of past warriors and their honorable feats in battles.

Located in the southeastern region, Tianji is the only of the four vassal states under Juntian to have not declared independence. It has a natural mountainous terrain, abundant of tall trees and hills. It is also agriculturally independent.

Tianji is known to be a very superstitious state. Its citizens proudly practice sorcery; astrological readings are well-regarded. Tianji often seeks to the Ursa Major constellation for guidance. Because of those reasons, it has very unique customs compared to other states.

Qi Zhikan took the usual route home, carrying a basket of wooden sticks on his back.

He suddenly noticed someone lying on the road ahead of him and walked up to get a closer look at the motionless figure obstructing his path.

It was a young man, dressed in all white just like Qi Zhikan. The difference was that his clothing was made of expensive material unlike Qi Zhikan's common fabrics.

The scratches on the man's face showed that he must've been sustained some kind of injury and fell unconscious. Despite being in his current state, the man was quite good-looking.

Qi Zhikan dropped his basket of wooden sticks. He carefully lifted the young man up and carried him on his back.

After a while, Qi Zhikan finally reached his home-a wooden cottage up in the high, remote mountains. Although the cottage was nothing extravagant, it was very clean and well-kept. Racks used to dry herbs were laid out in the front yard. In the back stood a straw tent with a large fire pit and iron bars beneath it. It was obviously a workshop belonging to a skilled bladesmith.

As he walked through the fences, a middle-aged man greeted him with a smile.

"Zhikan, you're home." Qi Renfan was too busy collecting the dried herbs from the racks to look at his son.

"Father," Qi Zhikan greeted.

Qi Renfan glanced up and finally noticed that his son was carrying someone on his back. "Who's that?!"

"I...found him in the woods unconscious..."

"So you just brought him back here?! Where's the wood?!"

Qi Zhikan was afraid to look at his father. "I left it behind..."

Qi Renfan grunted in disapproval.

"I know you don't like having strangers come to our home but I couldn't leave him there to die." Qi Zhikan spoke in a low voice as if he knew he was at fault.

Qi Renfan clicked his tongue and then turned to look at his son. After a moment of deep thought, he said, "Take him inside and I'll check his wounds."

Qi Zhikan grinned happily. "Thank you, Father!"

After placing the young man on his bed, Qi Zhikan's father went over to check the man's pulse. Qi Zhikan watched concerningly from the side. Although his father isn't a certified physician, his medical skills can be considered proficient enough.

Qi Zhikan respected his father very much. Qi Renfan was a man of many talents. He was skilled in the verses, medicine, and martial arts, but his true talent laid in sword-making. Forging swords to sell to Tianji's generals was his main method of earning money. Besides that, he rarely interacted with people below the mountains. He forbade his son from leaving the mountains without his permission, and the only times Qi Zhikan was permitted to go out was to gather materials.

Qi Renfan's swordmaking abilities caught the eyes of many citizens throughout Tianji. Eventually, his reputation became so widespread that he became known as the renowned 'Qi Shifu' throughout Juntian. Many sought him to forge their swords only to be bluntly rejected. Qi Zhikan often wondered what his father's background was for him to be so knowledgeable in all these fields, but every time he wanted to ask, he was immediately shut down. Even Qi Zhikan admitted his father was an eccentric geezer.

"Father, how is he?" Qi Zhikan asked, sticking his neck out to peak at the young man.

"He's fine. He fractured his leg so he won't be able to walk for a while. There's a bit of blood on his clothes. He must've gotten a flesh wound on his chest. However, none of these injuries are life-threatening-some medicine and rest and he should be fine. Help me clean his chest wound while I go prepare some herbal paste."

Just as Qi Renfan was about to stand up to head to the kitchen, Qi Zhikan interrupted him. "What about the scratches on his face?"

"Just a couple minor scratches, nothing too deep. They'll heal by themselves."

Qi Zhikan nodded in relief.

Qi Renfan looked at his son suspiciously. "...why are you so concerned about his appearance?"

"Uh...I..." Qi Zhikan was at a lost for words.

Qi Renfan chuckled to himself and gave his son a slight slap on the back of the head. "Hurry and clean his wound before it gets infected."

Once his father has left to prepare the medicine, Qi Zhikan began preparing a bucket of warm water and a wet towel. He took off the man's outer garments and placed them on the corner of the bed to be washed later. He began untying the man's inner garments to reveal his pale chest that was indeed wounded as his father has suspected. It was not a small injury, although not a major one either. Luckily, the bleeding has stopped. He gently pressed the damp towel on the man's wound to clean off the remaining blood.

After rinsing off the towel, Qi Zhikan was about to wipe off the dirt around the man's neck as he noticed his hair was covering a stringed object. He carefully lifted the man's head to pull what was a long necklace with a silver pendant engraved with a pattern he has never seen before. He then placed it back on the man's chest.

Qi Zhikan continued to clean the rest of the man's wounds, including the minor scratches on his face and hands. After applying the medicinal paste that his father had given him, Qi Zhikan grabbed a set of new clothes from his wardrobe and carefully dressed the unconscious man.

That night, Qi Zhikan sat at the small table in the middle of his room while the man rested in his bed. His father had long fallen asleep in another room. He was very tired but wanted to stay awake in the case the man regained consciousness, so he decided to stay up to keep watch.

"Wh-who are you?" a feeble voice broke the silence of the night.

Qi Zhikan glanced over from his seat to see the man has finally woken up. He rushed over to help him. "You're up!"

The man was still too weak to sit up by himself and could only rest on Qi Zhikan's chest as support.

"You've fractured your leg. Luckily, your injury isn't too grave. If it hadn't been for me, you'll probably be some mountain beast's dinner by now."

The man looked at him distrustingly. "...who are you?"

"Me? My surname is Qi. Qi Zhikan. I passed by on the road and saw you fainted on the ground. I was afraid you'd be eaten by some wild beast, so I brought you home," he said with a friendly smile.

The man did not respond and continued to look at him, their faces just inches apart.

"...is there something on my face? Why are looking at me like that?" Qi Zhikan asked.

The man finally spoke, "Thank you."

Qi Zhikan grinned. "I still don't know your name. As your savior, shouldn't you at least tell me your name?"

"You can just call me Xiao Ma." _(A/N 1)_

"Xiao Ma?" Qi Zhikan chuckled. "Okay. I'll call you Xiao Ma then."

_'From his expensive clothing and accessories, not to mention that strange necklace around his neck, his background mustn't be simple. Add to the fact that he just passed out in the woods for no reason... and now he's hiding his real name from me too?!' _Qi Zhikan thought.

Little did Qi Zhikan know that the person he was clasping onto was the Duke of Tianji.

**Jian Bin (****蹇宾****, 23)**, Duke of Tianji, with black hair, smooth skin, and coral lips. At first glance, his expressions may seem serious and stern for such a young person. Having faced many oppositions by his subjects in court, Jian Bin has learned to become a cautious and skeptical person.

"By the way, why were you injured in the woods?" Qi Zhikan asked.

"I... I fell down from my horse."

"Xiao Ma fell down from his horse?!" Qi Zhikan tried to hold in his laughter.

"What's so funny about me falling from my horse?"

Qi Zhikan shook his head. "Nothing. You must've been going very fast to suffer from such a fall."

Jian Bin did not reply.

He suddenly glanced down to notice that the clothes he was wearing earlier were not the same. He lifted his hand to peak down the collar of his shirt to find his chest wrapped in bandages. He sat up from Qi Zhikan's chest and exclaimed, "You changed my clothes for me?!"

Qi Zhikan looked at him, dumbfounded. "Your clothes were dirty and had blood on it, so I took the liberty to help you change into my clothes. I also bandaged your wound."

Jian Bin felt his face getting hotter. He grabbed the blanket and pulled it up to his chest.

"Why are you acting so shy? What's done has been done. You don't want to sleep in dirty clothes, do you...?" Qi Zhikan asked.

Jian Bin sent him a death glare.

"Alright, alright. From now on, if you want to change, I'll let you change yourself, okay?"

Jian Bin, "..."

Qi Zhikan sighed. "It's already late. You should get some rest."

As he was about to walk out of the room, Jian Bin asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to sleep on the bench in the living room. My cottage is small; there are only two rooms. You're in one and Father is in the other. I'll just sleep out there for the night."

"...won't it be cold?"

"Where else can I sleep? You're already sleeping on my bed..."

Jian Bin, "..."

Qi Zhikan smiled, "Don't worry. I'm a mountain man. Some cold breeze is nothing too hard to handle. I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

With those words, he stepped outside and gently closed the door.

Now left alone in silence, Jian Bin stared at the single candle flickering in the bedroom. After some pondering, he pulled the blanket over and wandered off to sleep.

**End of Chapter 7**

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*_A/N 1_: Xiao Ma (小马), literally meaning Little Horse in Chinese.

One of the fan-favorite couples has appeared! Wooh!


	9. Chapter 8 : Eclipse

It's been 3 days since Jian Bin has gotten a glimpse of the outdoor air.

Ever since he was brought back by Qi Zhikan, the young lad would not allow him to leave his bed, claiming that his leg has not properly healed.

Every morning, Qi Zhikan would come into the room with a hot bowl of porridge. At night, he prepared and cooked the various animals he hunted during the day for Jian Bin to try.

He also prepared a wooden barrel of warm water for Jian Bin to bathe in. After Jian Bin's appalled reaction when his clothes were changed while unconscious, Qi Zhikan made sure not to intrude the young man while he was bathing.

Three times a day, Qi Zhikan would deliver a bowl of herbal medicine right to the young duke's bedside, much to Jian Bin's lack of enthusiasm. One cannot blame him; the medicine was incredibly bitter.

The fourth day was no different.

"You're not making me drink that again."

"You're drinking this if you want to walk again."

Jian Bin sighed. He slowly took the bowl from Qi Zhikan's hands. He placed it close to his mouth and stared at the dark liquid that reeked of bitter herbs. He simply could not bring himself to swallow another mouthful of this.

Seeing Jian Bin's hesitation, Qi Zhikan took out the secret weapon he has been hiding in his other hand-candied hawberries on a stick.

"Tanghulu?*" Jian Bin gasped. _(A/N 1)_

"I know you don't like the bitterness of medicine, so I made this for you. After finishing the medicine, you can eat this tanghulu. It'll help you combat the bitter aftertaste."

Jian Bin nodded and hastily gulped it down.

Qi Zhikan handed Jian Bin the candied snack as he had promised.

While watching Jian Bin munch on the hawberries, Qi Zhikan said, "Coaxing you to drink medicine is like coaxing a little kid."

Jian Bin seemed to have no reaction towards Qi Zhikan's teasing. "These past few days have been toilsome for you. Thank you, Qi Xiansheng."

"Hmm? If you want to thank me, then don't sound so distant and call me Qi Xiansheng."

"Then how do you prefer me to address you?"

Qi Zhikan thought for a moment and said, "Since I call you Xiao Ma, then why don't you call me Xiao Qi?"

Jian Bin smiled at Qi Zhikan's suggestion. "Okay, Xiao Qi."

It was the first time Qi Zhikan saw Jian Bin smile at him, or even smile at all. Even though he has been attentively caring for Jian Bin these past few days, the aloofness the young man's displayed towards him was apparent.

Suddenly hearing the words "Xiao Qi" come out of Jian Bin's mouth made Qi Zhikan's heart overflow with a strange feeling of warmth and affection that he could not explain. He gazed at Jian Bin, who was sitting up on his bed.

"Xiao Qi? Are you okay?" Jian Bin wondered why Qi Zhikan stopped talking and simply looked at him without blinking.

Qi Zhikan finally snapped himself out of a trance, "There's... something on your lips."

Bits of the sugar syrup has smeared on Jian Bin's lower lip, giving it a glossy red color.

Jian Bin used his fingers to attempt to wipe off the stain but missed and could not see the red that Qi Zhikan spoke of.

"Here, let me help you." Qi Zhikan sat down beside him and used his sleeve to gently press against Jian Bin's lips.

_Thump. Thump._

Qi Zhikan felt like he could hear his own heartbeats.

_'It's beating faster...'_

He locked eyes with the person in front of him. Gazing into Jian Bin's dark eyes, Qi Zhikan's mind became overwhelmed with a million questions.

Why do these eyes feel like they bear so much sorrow? Why did he feel like the person before him had many troubles buried deep inside, but could not speak of it? Why was he still unwilling to tell him his real name?

Despite being so close, he felt like there was an unseen barrier between the two.

After a moment, Jian Bin nervously turned his head away. "I...umm... I think it should be good now."

"Oh... yeah. Sorry." Qi Zhikan quickly stood up and pretended to adjust his tunic.

The room became silent as both of them avoided looking at each other.

"Zhikan! Can you go outside and bring in the dried herbs for me? I'm a little occupied at the moment!" Qi Zhikan heard his father yell from the kitchen.

He let out a small sigh of relief as if his father had just rescued the current awkward situation.

"You, uh... if you're busy then you don't have to stay here and accompany me," Jian Bin said.

"If I leave, won't you be really bored?"

Jian Bin smiled half-heartedly. "I will be bored but I don't want to be a burden and distract you from your duties."

"You will never be a burden."

Jian Bin, "..."

Qi Zhikan bent over, grabbed Jian Bin's arms, put them over his shoulders, and lifted Jian Bin up to carry on his back.

Jian Bin was astonished, "W-what are you doing?!"

"I'm taking you outside with me to get some sunlight."

"But you don't need to carry me like this?!"

Qi Zhikan, "What are you nervous about? This isn't the first time I've carried you."

Knowing that his body was too weak to resist, he decided to give in and let Qi Zhikan carry him to the front yard.

The fresh mountain air was incredibly soothing. The gleaming sun rays and sounds of chirping birds could set any man's heart at peace.

"You've been lying in bed for several days now. The weather is not bad today. I want to use this opportunity for you to enjoy what nature has to offer," said Qi Zhikan.

He put Jian Bin down to settle on a small wooden bench as the two took a moment to admire the tranquility of their surroundings.

"How do you know I'm not someone who also grew up in the mountains?" Jian Bin asked.

"Seeing the way you dress and act, you can't be someone who grew up in the wild like me. You must be a city person. If I'm not wrong, your family must have some kind of big influence or authority in the cities."

Jian Bin did not reply. Qi Zhikan understood that Jian Bin did not want to reveal more about his background so he decided not to pursue any further.

"It's quite humid here in the forest," said Jian Bin, changing the subject.

"This air is good for your wounds. I'll take you out every day so you can bask in the sun and maybe make friends with some of the birds."

Jian Bin, "I won't be staying here for long. There are probably people out there looking for me right now. At that time, I'll have to leave."

"This area is very difficult to find. My father set up many traps and formations to prevent people from disturbing us. The path to our cottage is like a maze," Qi Zhikan explained.

"Disturbing you? Why are these people trying to look for you and your father?"

"I won't hide it from you. Have you heard of the bladesmith people call Qi Shifu?"

_'Qi Shifu. Qi Zhikan. Turns out that the renowned bladesmith that forges swords for my military is Xiao Qi's father,' _Jian Bin thought and shook his head at his own foolishness.

Upon seeing Jian Bin's reaction, Qi Zhikan stated, "I assume you've figured it out."

"I never would've guessed that I've been living in the same house as Qi Shifu these past few days. What an honor."

"Now don't say that to his face. It'll only raise his ego even more," Qi Zhikan joked.

"I haven't gotten the chance to thank him for treating my injuries. Thinking about it, he hasn't come to see me once ever since I woke up. Could it be he doesn't like me being here very much?" Jian Bin asked.

"He's like that. Don't mind him. He's just not used to having someone else in the house, but he does have a good heart," Qi Zhikan replied.

"Once I'm able to walk again, I'll personally go thank him. I'll also need you to accompany me off the mountain if others can't come here."

Qi Zhikan frowned at that thought but hid his emotions. "Your leg fracture is very severe. I'm afraid you'll be here for a while but I'll do my best to treat you and guide you out when the time comes."

Jian Bin nodded.

The sounds of birds chirping suddenly stopped. A cold breeze blew over. The sky turned dark within seconds-the sun nowhere to be seen.

"What's happening?!" Jian Bin exclaimed with a quivering voice.

Qi Zhikan looked up to analyze the celestial phenomenon. After comprehending what was happening, he realized that Jian Bin has been gripping tightly on his arm this entire time.

He spoke with a smirk, "It's just a solar eclipse. Are you scared?"

"I..." Jian Bin felt his cheeks getting red. "It's just I've never seen one before..."

Qi Zhikan, "It's my first time seeing it too."

Jian Bin, "You are really brave. You had no reaction to it at all."

"A mountain man is naturally more daring. Perhaps, I was born this way so I can protect my loved one in the future."

"Then with you here, I have nothing to be afraid of."

Qi Zhikan turned to look at Jian Bin in surprise. Realizing what he just said, Jian Bin retreated his hand and avoided Qi Zhikan's gaze.

"I... I meant, I still need you to lead me off this mountain," Jian Bin stuttered.

Qi Zhikan grinned to himself.

"Xiao Qi, what are you thinking?"

"I tend to not believe in astrological readings. My father says they're all bogus. That's why I'm not sensitive to these events. I heard the rest of Tianji believes they are signs of-"

"I want to rest. Help me inside," Jian Bin interrupted.

Qi Zhikan was puzzled at Jian Bin's sudden shift in tone.

Jian Bin raised one arm to express his urgency of wanting to go back in, so Qi Zhikan did not speak any further and carried him on his back to reenter the cottage.

**End of Chapter 8**

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*A/N 1: Tanghulu (糖葫芦), a Chinese snack made from hawberries coated in sugar syrup and skewered on a stick

See you in the next chapter!


	10. Chapter 9 : Terra

It was late in the hour, but the study chambers of Juntian's Imperial Palace were brightly lit with candles.

A man stepped inside the room and bowed to his emperor. "Greetings, Your Majesty. May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned me at this hour?"

Emperor Qikun put his brush down and stood up from his desk. "Commander, I have something important to discuss with you."

The Commander listened intently.

Qikun asked, "How would you assess Qiu Zhen's performances recently?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, Qiu Xiansheng is a young man of talents. Based on my observations, he is brave and fierce on the battlefields. The last battle at Tianshu, he continued to impress me. Recently, our army was able to defeat one of Tianshu's major rebel groups with much ease. Qiu Xiansheng played a major role in that success," the Commander replied.

Qikun nodded in agreement. "After we lost to Tianxuan in Yaoguang, our empire's morale suffered a great blow. At least with this small victory, I can have some good news to report to Juntian citizens. Commander, your efforts will be rewarded."

"Defeating rebels is my duty," the Commander replied humbly.

"Of course, not only you will be rewarded, but I want to acknowledge Qiu Zhen's hard work too."

The Commander looked perplexed.

Qikun continued, "You know that Qiu Zhen came from a house of generals. His family was wrongly executed so now he can only live like this, nameless and inglorious. It is quite a pity. I want to grant him a permanent position in court. Commander, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, you intend to put him to prominent use?"

"Yes. Is it that Commander has objections?"

The Commander protested, "Juntian could surely utilize some talents right now, but as Your Majesty knows, the Qiu Clan were prominent subjects in Tianxuan. Now they're regarded as criminals. Qiu Xiansheng was not only a Tianxuan general, but he is also a fugitive. I'm afraid it won't look too good for us if we take him in and grant him a high position."

Qikun replied, "But these past few months, he has helped us a considerable amount. And you praised him just now. Is the victory in Tianshu not enough to prove his loyalty?"

The Commander persisted, "Your Majesty, we must be vigilant in guarding ourselves."

Qikun pondered for a moment. "Alright. I will bestow on him the title Garrison Commander so he will continue to work below you and assist you. Is this position trivial enough for Commander to not worry?"

The Commander knew he could not object anymore.

2 days later, Qikun granted the title of Garrison Commander to Qiu Zhen in court in front of all of his subjects. Many expressed their surprises upon hearing the announcement. Others were discontent, but none spoke up.

That evening, Qikun invited Qiu Zhen to one of the palace halls

That evening, Qikun invited Qiu Zhen to one of the palace halls. The two casually chatted and dined. Male performers danced and played cheerful songs on zithers as the two shared amusing stories of their pasts with each other.

"Aiqing*, I would've never thought that you were such a troublemaker when you were younger!" Qikun laughed as he took a sip of his wine. (A/N 1)

"Your Majesty, you are laughing now but at that time, I had red marks all over! Father never went easy on my spankings," Qiu Zhen exclaimed.

"Hahaha!" Qikun continued laughing and drinking. After some pondering, he sighed, "It's been a while since I've been this happy. Quite sad if you think about it, right?"

"Your Majesty holds the world in your hands. One cannot simply understand the hardships Your Majesty faces each day," Qiu Zhen replied.

"There are moments when I feel like the whole world is against me. They all want to see me dead. I really don't know what to believe or who I can trust..."

"Nothing is crueler than the human heart. Your Majesty, please be careful."

Qikun refilled his and Qiu Zhen's cups with wine. "I really thought Yaoguang's loss was the beginning of the end for my Juntian Empire, but the recent victory in Tianshu restored some faith for me. Aiqing, you contributed greatly to that. I hope you will continue to assist me in the future. Here, let's drink to our hearts' content in celebration!"

As the two raised their cups, one of the dancers in the background accidentally tripped and bumped into Qiu Zhen, causing him to spill wine onto the metallic blue sheath of the sword that was resting on the table.

Qiu Zhen picked up the sword and wiped it with his sleeves in panic.

All the male performers stopped and ran over to profusely apologize. At first, Qikun wanted to punish them, but Qiu Zhen pleaded to let them off. Qikun dismissed them all in anger, leaving just the two and several guards in the room.

Qikun suggested, "It's just wine. If you are worried, I will order a servant to clean it thoroughly for you."

"No need. I can clean it myself." Qiu Zhen's focus was still on the sword.

"This sword... it's very well crafted. You look very worried. It must be given by someone very important to you... perhaps... a soulmate?*" (A/N 2)

Qiu Zhen stopped and looked up. "It's... it's a family heirloom, given to me by my father before he passed away. I took it with me when I escaped, so it holds much value to me."

"So it's like that. Seeing you so concerned, I would've assumed it was given to you by your wife* or something," Qikun joked. (A/N 3)

Qiu Zhen chuckled. "I am still unmarried. In such chaotic periods, I have no time to discuss romantic affairs."

Qikun nodded. "You're right. You're right. I must've thought too much."

Qiu Zhen gave the sword one last wipe and gripped it tightly in his hand.

Dressed in ragged brown garments stained with mud and dirt, the young man wiped off the sweat on his face as he glanced up to read the sign at the top of the large building.

After months of tirelessly traveling on foot, the young man finally reached the entrance of the renowned Palace Academy of Tianshu.

Tianshu's Palace Academy is a prestigious institution, taking in young men to educate and train them to become elite members of society. Many of the Academy's students were sons of wealthy merchants and aristocrats whose heirs have attended the Academy for generations. Attaining an education here would pave ways for them to become powerful government officials in the future.

The young man paced back and forth in front of the entrance, hesitating to step inside. He has traveled through mountains and streams for months to finally reach his destination. His clothes were soiled; complexion lacking energy.

Despite all that, he was quite handsome.

He turned his back to contemplate his next steps. Two students dressed in green uniform emerged from the entrance. Too busy talking to each other, they did not notice the poor man and bumped into him.

"Hey! Why are you standing here? Don't you know that a good dog doesn't block a person's path?!" the shorter one of the two cried.

The young man replied calmly, "It was you who bumped into me."

The other person snapped back, "Do you know what this place is?! Why are you stupidly standing here?!"

The young man did not bother raising his voice. "I came here today to acquire more knowledge. I don't plan on making enemies."

As he was about to proceed inside, one of the two students gave him a shove. "Dirty peasants like you are not welcomed here! Now scram!"

The young man rolled his eyes, "Everyone says that the Palace Academy disregards backgrounds and only values talents. The instructors teach Confucian classics, martial arts, philosophy, and literature. The students learn propriety, justice, integrity, and honor in return. But looking at it today, you two possess none of that. Maybe the Palace Academy is a bunch of overrated nonsense after all."

Inside, he deeply respected the Academy's reputable efforts. He clearly spoke those words just to spite the crude students.

"YOU!"

"Who dares to spew such audacious rubbish?" Another man stepped onto the front porch, wearing the same green uniform as the other two.

The two students immediately turned around to greet him. "Su-xiong.*" (A/N 4)

**Su Yan (苏严, 25),** son of one of the three wealthiest families in Tianshu. Because of his family's powerful background, almost every student at the Academy treats him with high respect.

Su Yan studied the appearance of the man standing in front of him. "The doors of the Palace Academy is not a place that anyone can enter. A country bumpkin like you want to step inside and seek aspirations? How many words can you even read?"

He noticed what looked to be a long sword wrapped in white cloth on the young man's back.

"Are you even qualified to carry a sword?" Su Yan added.

The young man said, "Whether I am qualified or not is not up to you to decide. I don't need to ask for your permission to enter either."

"Lowly peasant who doesn't know his place! Let's take his sword to teach him a lesson!" the other student exclaimed.

Su Yan watched his two classmates try to grab the sword from the stranger's back, but with one arm, the young man was able to push the two of them away with ease.

"Stop!" An elderly man emerged from the entrance.

After they all settled down and greeted him politely, one of the students said, "Instructor, this person is here to stir trouble!"

The elderly man turned to the accused. "I am one of the instructors here. May I ask for an explanation of what happened?"

The young man responded sincerely, "I have long heard of the great name of the Palace Academy. I traveled from afar and genuinely wanted to come here and learn. I did not mean to offend anyone. If the Instructor does not welcome me, then I shall take my leave."

He turned around to leave, face full of disappointment.

The Instructor called out, "Wait, aren't you here to study? Just some obstacles and you want to give up that easily?"

The young man's eyes lit up with hope.

The Instructor said, "Your eyes are bright, your mannerisms proper. I can see your future is very promising. You will go on and accomplish big things. Tell me, what is your name?"

The young man lowered his head, "My name is Zhong Kunyi."

**Zhong Kunyi (仲堃仪, 25),** a handsome man who was orphaned at a young age. He comes from a poor family whose father was a fisherman and aims to rid himself of his lowly status.

"A very nice name indeed," the instructor nodded in approval

"A very nice name indeed," the instructor nodded in approval. "I will take you in. From now on, I will personally teach you and you will be my student."

Zhong Kunyi merrily bowed. "Thank you, Instructor!"

Su Yan stepped towards Zhong Kunyi and when nobody was looking, whispered in his ear, "Don't be too happy yet. You better watch your back from now on."

**End of Chapter 9**

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*A/N 1: Aiqing (爱卿), literally means beloved subject. It is what rulers use to address subjects that they favor

**A/N 2: Soulmate (蓝颜知己), or blue soulmate, used to describe a very close male friend. The 'more than a friend, but less than a lover' type of relationship

***A/N 3: Wife - Since this universe has no females, I will refer to the seme in a marriage as husband and the uke as wife. Husband and husband would be too confusing, and to me, husband and wife are gender neutral terms anyway :)

****A/N 4: -xiong (-兄), older brother, also how male friends politely refer to each other. It is attached after a person's last name.

Thanks for the support as always.


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